/ David Cleary / 14 June 2011 / Leave a Comment 
A number of horses that failed this week can improve in future
"Abnaki was unfortunate, a bad mistake at the last costing him. But he can gain compensation before long."
David Cleary offers valuable insights about what we can learn from the last week's jump racing...
While a few of the week's jumps meetings lacked competitiveness, with rain on watered ground producing some unsatisfactory going as well, the mid-week card at Southwell offered plenty of interest.
The highlight was the handicap hurdle won by Red Not Blue, who was gaining a fourth win in five starts. Good ground seems important to him, his defeat in that time having come on his one recent start on soft, and with that proviso he seems sure to continue to go well.
The Bangor winner King Ozzy, mentioned favourably here before, looked the main danger on form and was threatening two out. But he didn't see the two-and-a-half mile trip out nearly so well as the winner, ending up a bit below form in third. But he's well worth keeping onside back over shorter. Runner-up Castlerock ran easily his best race over hurdles. Provided he stands further training, he should go one better before long. He looks the type to make a better chaser as well, and will be of interest in that sphere in due course.
Castlerock's trainer Jonjo O'Neill had two winners on the Southwell card, continuing his fine recent run with a double later in the week at Market Rasen, but the stable's other beaten runners at Southwell are the other main ones to note for the future.
The promising Abnaki was unfortunate in the three-mile handicap hurdle, a bad mistake at the last costing him all chance when holding still on level terms - he can gain compensation before long. Stamina will be his strong suit and he is another with a future over fences.
Sentimentaljourney appeared weak in the market, despite a promising hurdling debut the previous month, and was beaten a long way when fourth to the useful prospect Smart Freddy in a two-mile novice hurdle but the distances hardly begin to tell the story. Sentimentaljourney got well behind after a mistake at the fifth but wasn't at all knocked about and looked to have running left in him. He's qualified for a handicap mark now, though he'll be of interest in maiden/novices as well, and is certainly one to be with when the market speaks in his favour.
Joker Choker (who had finished fifth in King Ozzy's race at Bangor) won for the second time since back in novices when beating Lava Lamp impressively at Newton Abbot. This wasn't a race with much depth and Lava Lamp raced rather lazily, considering the longer trip ought to have suited him, but both first and second are likely to continue to give a good account, with Joker Choker capable of holding his own in a better grade.
Another to note on that card is Hill Forts Gloria. She has yet to win, but the strong finish she produced in the 19 furlong novice handicap hurdle suggests she has potential to improve over further, with a race of this nature well within her compass.
Aintree's last meeting before the autumn turned out not to be so competitive as expected. Keenan's Future's victory in the staying handicap chase required a McCoy masterclass, not many of the others giving their running. Marleybow was well backed against him but he seemed unsettled by a bad mistake at the first. He may well bounce back on a less demanding track.
Another given the benefit of the doubt is Cotillion, whose stamina gave out after he'd looked all over the winner of the two-and-a-half mile novice hurdle. This, though, wasn't a strong race, with two of his three main rivals on form failing to complete.
Grimmest sight of the week was the bumper at Hexham. Rain had made conditions most testing and Golden View just galloped his rivals into submission, 250 lengths covering the nine runners at the finish, and with most barely walking up the hill. The form at the meeting should be treated with caution, and the conditions provide an obvious excuse for the shock defeat of Ely Brown in the three-mile novice hurdle. Definitely well worth another chance.
David Cleary picks out the highlights of recent races at Worcester, Hexham and Perth...
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